Hypertension is among the leading cause of death in the United States and other industrialized Nations. Although hypertension affects people of all ages and ethnic background, it is, by far, more prevalent among African-Americans. Understanding of the basic mechanism of cell/nuclear factors' involvement and their regulation/modulation in the genesis of hypertension will help us in developing better therapeutic strategies in future for the prevention of this disorder. Kallikrein-kinin and renin-angiotensin systems exhibit hypotensive and hypertensive affects respectively. Under natural condition a delicate balance between the two systems keeps the blood pressure at the normal level. However, an imbalance between the two systems results in deviation from the normal blood pressure. Recent evidence indicated that some glandular/tissue kallikrein-like enzymes also process prorenin. Three such enzymes have been characterized. Because of their kallikrein-like activity they are designated as mK9, mK13, and mK22. For their prorenin processing they are designated as prorenin converting enzymes (PRCE) C, B, and A respectively. Our data indicate that a line of high blood pressure mice (BPH) derived by eight-way cross of various high blood pressure exhibiting strains, and inbred for over fifty generations, exhibit higher expression of PRCE C (mK9) protein and mRNA when compared with a line exhibiting normal blood pressure (BPN) which is derived from the ancestors of BPH mice. Promoter analysis indicates differential binding of transcription factors and mutations in BPH in comparison BPN mice.The objective of this study is to identify and characterize transcription factors that specifically bind to the promoter region of BPH mice. Long term objective is to elaborate the molecular mechanism of PRCE C (mK9) promoter specific transcription factors so that therapeutic strategies can be developed. Research design and methods used in the proposed investigation include DNA isolation, primer synthesis, PCR amplification, DNA labeling, DNA fragment purification, mobility shift assay, DNAse protection assay, gel sequencing, DNA chromatography, CAT and Luciferase assay, and mutants construction.